Light Oneshots
by Qbbie
Summary: This is a compilation of oneshots connected to my main story Light (Link at the bottom). I recommend reading that first so you can meet Zara and her story. Requests are open and I do almost anything but smut.
1. They're Not Flashbacks Any More

**Light Oneshots**

**"They're Not Flashbacks Any More."**

Requested by: Ladysunshine6

A/N This is the first of hopefully many oneshots connected to my main story Light (link at the bottom) which I strongly recommend reading first so that you can meet Zara but I think I explain the important things if you just want to jump right in. It's the usual OC travels with the Winchesters deal you all know and love. As this story is in progress, some of these stories might not completely follow what is actually happening by the time I get around to writing that part in Light. Sorry. I kinda want these oneshots to be stress free writing so there may be continuity errors at times. Please don't ask me where everyone is aka Kevin, Bobby, ect. I honestly don't know other than that Balthy is on a special mission at this particular time and Cas is in Purgatory so sometime Season 8? I haven't really thought or written that far yet. I know it's a big jump, but I feel like this was a good place to put this story. Don't worry. I'm going to fill in the blanks as we go! Thanks to Ladysunshine6 for requesting this and helping me revise. I really hope this is what you wanted. To anyone else wanting to send in requests, I will send you a first and final draft before I post it in PM if you want to give feedback.

Trigger alert: Torture, Panic Attack, and Cussing.

"Yeah I'm fine, Dean. I just want to have a little quiet time. Have fun at the bar. Call when you're heading back." Zara hung up the phone and placed it next to her on the desk. The boys were going to relax down at the bar for a while. It had been a trying few days. She sighed and stood up- the sound of the chair scraping against the floor echoed through the empty bunker. It was a little creepy being alone in the bunker but, if she was going to go through with her plan, it would have to be empty. If the boys knew what she was about to do, they would have a conniption- Dean most of all.  
>It had been months and they were still nowhere closer to figuring out how to get her brother out of Hell. Zara didn't fault them for forgetting about it, they were pretty busy, but she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that every month topside was ten years down below. Her brother was in there for her and it was her responsibility to get him out. She didn't care that what she was about to do was a reckless. Didn't Dean do things like that for Sam all the time?<br>She had gathered all of the ingredients and had drawn the devil's trap. She would have done this in the dungeon where there was already a trap made but she avoided that room like the plague. People were tortured there. Even going into that room made her have flashbacks to her time with Sean aka her crazy abusive ex husband. She shook her head to clear the already rising panic that came with remembering her time with him. Even months later, she was not over it. She didn't think she ever would be.  
>Zara let out a slow breath. She was ready. "Crowley, I need to talk to you." She lit the herbs in the bowl and waited tensely. An odd sense of foreboding washed over her just before the Demon King appeared.<p>

Crowley glanced down and cursed at the trap he had been forced to come in. He glared at her. "No Ducky."

"But I haven't even-"

"It's always the same with you. Save my brother. Let him go." He snorted. "You're even worse than Moose and Squirrel sometimes."

Zara turned her back to him. "What... What do you want to let him go? I'll do anything." She whispered.

"I know." Zara shivered. It sounded like he was whispering into her ear but... He was in the devils trap... Wasn't he? She turned back around slowly. He was right in front of her- nose to nose. She tried to step away but he grabbed her arms and hissed into her face. "You need to be more careful when you draw your traps. Do not call me about your brother again. I'm not letting him go. It's a matter of principle. The sooner you get that through that pathetic head of yours, the better off you'll be." He gripped her tighter and she cringed but refused to cry out. "How many times have I told you that? Too many." He looked thoughtful for a second and then smirked devilishly. "Maybe I'll give you an incentive. Every time you me ask about your brother, I will give you one hour with your ex husband- in the flesh."

Zara's blood ran cold. The flashbacks were threatening to overtake her. Her breath hitched. Crowley was gone and she was left alone again. "No. No. No..." She stumbled against the desk- her mind reeling. The phone. Call Dean. Dean always helped her when she was having these issues. Where's the stupid phone? Over there- next to the book on summoning spells. She grabbed it- fumbling to type the password in. Oh why couldn't she have stuck it out and summoned Crowley in the permanent devil's trap? Why? Why? Why? Before Zara could find Dean's number, someone grabbed onto her hair and yanked her head back hard. She yelped.

"Long time no see RaRa." Sean's menacing voice washed over her. She was paralyzed from fear. She had seen freedom for long enough to become accustomed to it and now she was just being dragged back in. Sean let out a low chuckle. "Why don't we play a little game RaRa? I've been dying to hear what you've been doing for the last few months." He dragged her over to one of the library chairs and forced her to sit. Sam's duffel from the hunt was still on the desk beside it and Sean grabbed the rope he always kept there for emergencies. He started to tie her to the chair.

Zara's mind was screaming at her body to react, kick, fight, do SOMETHING, but she couldn't get her muscles to respond. She managed to gasp out, "You're just a flashback. This isn't real. Please God let this not be real."

Sean chuckled and his eyes might have flashed black for half a second. "Oh, RaRa… They're not flashbacks any more." He dug around in Sam's duffel a bit more until he found a hunting knife. "I always wondered what you would have looked like all carved up." Zara's stopped breathing for a second. He never used a knife on her. She dreaded to think of what he might do now. He smirked and put in on the table next to her. "I prefer to use my own hands- more powerful that way."

He slapped her and his class ring left a small graze on her cheekbone. He was just getting started. He punched and kicked and slapped her just as hard as he used to and she couldn't do anything to defend herself. Forty-five minutes later, Zara was barely conscious. Bruises were already forming all over her and her face was more bruise than skin. Her wrists were chaffed and raw from the rope. She had a black eye and a split lip and she was pretty sure her jaw was out of joint. "Why are you doing this? Why do you hate me?" She managed to ask.

He stopped mid punch. "Hate you? There are so many reasons why I hate you but I don't do this because I hate you. I do this because I can." Zara had seen this side of Sean a couple of times- when he would hurt her even though he wasn't drunk and angry. There was a maniacal calmness he had about him that was the most frightening. It was these times when she was the most afraid of him.

"You're a monster." The thought slipped out involuntarily. She hadn't meant to say that out loud and she knew it would be the end of her.

Sean paused for a second. "A what?" She shook her head. "A monster you say? I'll show you a monster." He lunged and put his hands around her neck- squeezing her windpipe. The chair tilted back so that she couldn't get any traction against the ground with her feet. Black dots danced across her vision as she fought for air. Through the haze she could hear a phone ringing. Her eyes widened in recognition. It sounded like Shoot to Thrill by ACDC- that was Dean's ringer.

Sean growled and let go of her- the chair legs slamming back down to the floor. Zara was gasping for breath. "Is this the guy you've been cheating on me with?" Zara coughed. "It is! Isn't it?" Sean roared.

Zara got her breathing back under control a bit. "If I don't answer, he'll know something's up. I always answer my phone."

Sean cursed. "You get on the phone and don't tell him anything alright? Tell him to stay away. I'm not finished yet. I've still got a few minutes before Crowley poofs me back to my place."

Zara nodded weakly and Sean held the phone up to her ear. "Dean?" She croaked- trying to speak normally thorough a crushed windpipe and a broken jaw.

"Zara?" The sound of Dean's voice brought tears to her eyes. It made her feel safer just to hear it. "You okay? You sound sick."

"Oh I'm fine, Dean. Just a little cough." Sean motioned to her. Tell him to go away.

"Did you get the mangoes I asked for?"

"Mangoes? You hate mangoes." Dean said confusedly. Zara was trying her hardest to tell him something was wrong without tipping off Sean. She could hear the crunching of gravel on the other end of the phone. He was right outside the bunker. "Is this some kind of feminine thing?"

Zara sighed. He wasn't getting it. "Yeah, Dean. I'm REALLY craving mangoes right now and I need them." Zara had an idea. "Please, just go back to Pokipsy and get me some mangoes at the store." She hoped she didn't stress Pokipsy too much.

The sound of crunching gravel stopped. "Shit." Dean swore. She could hear Sam ask what was wrong in the background.

"That's right you better get me my mangoes NOW or else you're making dinner this month. I'll see you in a few." Sean grabbed the phone back and placed it on the desk.

"Even I know you hate mangoes." He was eerily calm.

"Like I said, I'm craving them. You know nothing about women's hormones you idiot." She was emboldened with the knowledge that her boys were coming to the rescue.

"It was code. They're coming." He snapped. "Better leave a nice present for them then." He picked up the knife. Dean and Sam barged into the room guns cocked just in time to see Sean stab Zara in the thigh. Nothing but the hilt of the knife was exposed. She screamed out in agony. Sean turned around between the boys and Zara. "Sorry, I was just leaving." Dean saw red. He fired at Sean but he disappeared before the bullet reached him. The hour was up. Instead, it hit Zara in the left shoulder and she screamed again.

"Oh my god." Dean swore when he realized what he had done. "Shit. Shit. Shit." He saw how badly beaten up Zara was even before the knife and the gun. She had passed out from all the pain. Sam dashed over to get the med kit and Dean started untying the ropes. There was so much blood. Had he hit her in the heart? Please no.

Sam came up with the kit and started looking over her wounds. He took the knife out and pressed cloths against her thigh and shoulder. "Dean, we need to take her to the hospital." Dean just stared at the bullet wound he had caused. He promised he would keep her safe. He had failed… again. Sam snapped in front of his face. "Dean, NOW." Dean snapped out of it and picked her up gingerly. They went out and he got in the back of the Impala still cradling her. Sam hopped in the driver's seat and sped off- going well over the speed limit. The hospital was not very close.

Dean smoothed the hair out of Zara's face and was horrified to see the bruises up close. Her eyes fluttered for a second and he stopped. He didn't what her to be conscious to feel all the pain. Her breathing was becoming erratic. "Can you go any faster?"

"No, Dean." Sam snapped. "We're almost there."

The Impala skidded into the hospital roundabout and Dean hopped out with Zara in his arms before Sam had even put it in park. They rushed in and the receptionist gasped at the sight of Zara. "What-"

"Where is the doctor?" Dean growled. "Now!"

Some nurses were already rushing towards them with a gurney. Dean placed her on it and they wheeled her away. Sam and Dean started to follow her but one of the nurses stopped them. "You're not going anywhere near her until you tell us what happened."

Dean was about to push past her but a large police man stepped in his way also. "You need to talk to us." He said firmly.

Sam put a hand on Dean's shoulder and he seemed to calm down a bit. He ground his teeth. "Alright." It took a while to convince the police of their story even though it was largely the truth for once. Halfway through their explanation, a nurse came up to them.

"How is she?" Dean asked worriedly.

"We had to take your friend into emergency surgery to get the bullet out. Her heart stopped and we're trying to restart it and her lung is collapsed… I need to prepare you that she might not make it out of surgery." Both boys were speechless. Zara might not make it. The police man took his leave and the brothers just say in the room in tense silence.

"This is all my fault." Dean whispered. "She might die because of me."

"Hey." Sam looked him full in the face. "It's not your fault. Stop beating yourself up about it."

"Sam." Dean's eyes flashed at him and Sam backed off. "I need to go hit something." He stood up and started to leave.

"More violence isn't going to fix anything." Sam sighed.

Dean stopped with his back to his brother- his head and shoulders hung low. "I know but what good are we going to do here?"

Sam shook his head. "I- I don't know." And so they sat there waiting and waiting and waiting. Dean was about to go stir crazy. He had started pacing about a half hour ago and muttering to himself. He was about to go and threaten some answers out of an orderly but a nurse came in and said to come with her.

By the time the brothers were allowed to go in and see her, she had been moved to a post-op room. The doctors told them that her heart stopped twice during the procedure. They had done their best, but odds were she wouldn't make it through the night.

Sam and Dean took seats on either side of the bed. The heart monitor beeped a steady rhythm into the silence. Dean looked over at Zara again. She looked so small and frail in the big hospital bed. A breathing tube was stuck down her throat. There were bandages all over her body- the biggest one was on her chest- the wound Dean had put there. He covered his face. "I shot her." His voice was so empty. "She would have been okay if I hadn't shot her and now she's dying."

"She's not going to be okay anyway when she wakes up, Dean. Her ex beat the crap out of her. That's going to bring up a lot of memories she doesn't want to remember."

"You heard the doctor! She's not GOING to wake up!"

Sam stood resolutely. "I can't believe you!" Dean looked up at him- bewildered. "We friggin' die and come back like every other year. Don't tell me we're just gonna lie down and accept this!"

Dean snapped out if his little pity party. "Who are we going to call then? Cas is still MIA and-"

"Balthazar." Sam didn't know when he had decided that Balthazar was their best option but he was.

"Balthazar? But he's-" Dean started.

"I know but he's not going to let Zara die."

"You call him. I don't want to talk to him."

"Fine." Sam stood up and went to the window. "Balthazar we need you. Zara's hurt bad. We need-"

The sound of angel wings filled the room. "YOU BLOODY IDIOTS!" They had never seen Balthazar so angry. "I LEAVE FOR A MONTH AND LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" He walked over to Zara and examined her injuries. He got dangerously quiet. "What happened? No wait. I don't want to know what happened." He turned and looked at the brothers. "I just want to know that it won't happen again. Promise me."

"We don't have time for this. She's dying." Dean snapped at him impatiently.

"I said promise me it won't happen again."

"Promise." Dean motioned over at her. "Now heal her."

Balthazar sighed and touched her head tenderly. Her injuries healed instantly and he took the breathing tube out gently. "There you go." He turned back around. "She'll wake up soon. You were lucky I was close. I don't know when I'll be able to come back again. Stay out of trouble… please. Don't start any more Apocalypses until I get back." With that, he was gone.

"Angels." Dean sighed. "She'll be up soon. Gosh she's going to remember everything and I can't help her with it because she's gonna be as afraid of me as she is of her ex. I promised her I wouldn't hurt her and then I shot her, Sam! I freaking shot her!"

Sam glanced around warily. "Keep it down! The nurses will hear. I'll try to help as much as I can but you and her have some sort of weird bond over this kind of thing. I think she's gonna need you now more than ever."

"Dean?" Zara stirred groggily. The yelling was waking her up.

"Yeah, Z. I'm here." Both brothers went to her side. "How are you feeling?"

She groaned. "Like rainbows and lollipops, Muscles."

"What do you remember?" Sam asked.

She shook her head. "I… I don't remember." She giggled. "Keep me away from the vodka bottle when I do though." Zara on pain meds was always an interesting experience. Dean rolled his eyes. Of course Balthazar left the pain meds in her just to spite them. She started doodling in the air with her index finger. She made her hand into a gun shape. "Sounds like this one will be a doosie." She sang and started making gun noises. "Pew. Pew. Pew." Dean looked like he was going to be sick.

Sam shook his head. "I swear, she is the loopiest person on pain meds I have ever met. How can she hold her liquor so well?" He found Zara's clothes piled on the counter and threw them at her.

Dean helped her sit up. "Get dressed Z. We're getting the hell outta dodge."

Zara's face lit up. "Dodge ball? I love that game."

"Yeah princess, we're playing dodge guards. It's basically the same thing." They helped her into her clothes and then into a wheelchair. They started one of many hospital escapes- so practiced that the boys at least could do it perfectly even when they were drunk and/or drugged.

By the time they got back to the bunker, Zara was fast asleep again so they put her in her room. "When do you think the meds will wear off?" Sam asked.

"I'm surprised they haven't already." Dean sighed. "We dodged a bullet at the hospital. Imagine if she started freaking out there." Sam nodded. He was about to say something else but they heard a scream from Zara's room.

"DEAN!" They bolted towards her room but Dean paused at her door.

Sam motioned at him to open the door. "She yelled for you, Dean."

"But I-"

"She wants YOU."

Dean nodded and opened the door cautiously. Zara was curled up in the corner of her bed rocking, tears streaming down her face. Dean went over and sat next to her on the bed and started rubbing her back slowly. She attack hugged him just like she did back at Bobby's months ago when Crowley had kidnapped her. "I remember." She sniveled. "I remember everything… It was so awful."

"Shhhh… It'll be alright." Dean soothed and she started calming down. "I'm here and Gigantor is guarding the door." He smirked. "He's not going to come back. I'm so sorry Zara… for everything."

Zara hiccupped. "It was my fault. I was doing something stupid." She pushed the panic attack away as much as she could. "- Except I didn't deserve to get shot for it." She said sarcastically. Sarcasm seemed to be her main method of keeping the fear at bay.

"I-"

"It's okay, Dean. It was an accident." She trailed off. "Next time though, I'm really going to have to break your legs and you forgot my mangoes, which means you're cooking the whole month long."

Dean nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. Zara was okay. She was going to be okay. "Whatever you say, princess."

A/N Hope you liked it! To those of you who have not read Light and are interested, s/10607068/1/Light


	2. No Air

**"No Air"**

Requested by: Ladysunshine6

A/N I find it's a lot easier when I don't have to explain where certain characters are at times and why they aren't there to help so I've decided to stop trying just for my sanity. They just aren't there and that's that. This oneshot could really fit in anywhere I guess. Put it where you will. Also, if you were wondering about the dancing thing, Zara was a dance instructor in the other world and teases Dean about not knowing how to dance.

Warnings: drowning, cursing, and *ahem, assume pretentious announcer voice* some thematic events that might be frightening to small children, parents use discretion.

She had been under too long. Dean looked out over the placid water of the lake desperately searching for any sign of Zara. She had been diving for a trinket they needed to burn for a case. Some ghost kid was tied to a wagon that had been thrown in the lake and now he was haunting the area. Zara was the strongest swimmer so she volunteered to go in and get it. Dean would have objected but she jumped in before he could even say anything. It had been a while since then though and she hadn't even come up for air.

"Shit." Dean cursed. "Sam, she's been down there too long. Do you think the kid got to her?"

Sam was worried too. "I thought he only haunted the beach area."

Dean couldn't take it any longer. "I'm going in after her."

"I'm coming with you. " Sam insisted.

The both jumped in and started swimming as fast as they could towards where they last saw her. Dean got there first and he immediately dove straight down- searching for her frantically in the murky water. The lake seemed to be a lot deeper than Dean had thought. He imagined he saw something below him that looked distinctly like a wagon but he couldn't see Zara anywhere. Dean motioned to Sam to start searching one way and he went another. Dean was running out of air but he refused to stop looking for her. She was a strong swimmer. Something must have gotten her and he had to find her. There was no other option.

Dean began to get more and more worried. The brain could only go without oxygen for like 6 minutes right? It had been at least 3. He had to get to her soon or she was going to drown. Black spots danced across his vision as he, too, was feeling the effects of oxygen deprivation but he wasn't going to give up. Not yet. There was something whitish floating ahead of him and he struck out for it. It was definitely Zara and she wasn't moving which was a bad sign. Dean grabbed her and struck out for the surface- Dean gasping for air as they broke free. Zara still wasn't moving.

Dean got them to the waterfront. Sam came up after them, hauling the wagon behind him. He had grabbed it once he saw that Dean had Zara. Dean immediately started to try to revive her. Push on her chest 1-2-3-4-5-6… He could hear Sam calling 911 but he wasn't paying attention to him. All his focus was on Zara. …28-29-30… Dean then opened her mouth and held her nose- not even hesitating before putting his mouth on hers- frantically trying to force any air into her deprived lungs.

It wasn't working. Sam was trying to burn the wagon while the ghost was attacking him but Dean continued to try to revive Zara. 1-2-3-4… "Come on Zara. Come on!" He was pleading. …27-28-29-30 and breathe… Dean could hear sirens in the distance coming towards them. He prayed that they wouldn't need them as he frantically started the cycle over again. 1-2-3… Sam was now hovering over them worriedly. The ghost hadn't been too much of a problem for him. It had been at least 5 minutes now if not more- dangerously close to brain damaging area. "Damnit Zara! Please! You can't leave me now! We were going to-"

Zara's eyes shot open and she started coughing up the dark lake water. Dean immediately moved her to her side so that she wouldn't choke. It took a lot longer than Dean thought it would but she finally slowed down. He took her frail body into his lap and put his arms around her to try and warm her up a bit. She was shivering, her breathing was ragged and erratic, and her eyes didn't seem to focus on anything.

The paramedics had made it to the lake and were wheeling a stretcher towards them. Sam went to meet them and tell them that they weren't needed but they insisted that they needed to take her to the hospital to do some checks considering how long she was under. There very well could be damage. So they started making their way to the soaked and bedraggled couple embraced on the beach.

Dean began to worry that Zara didn't seem to know where she was and she hadn't said anything yet. Before he could do anything about it though, someone was taking her out of his arms. He started to fight back until he realized that it was Sam trying to help place her onto the stretcher. People were everywhere trying to do checks and oxygen treatments even as they were wheeling her to the ambulance. Dean walked beside the stretcher holding her hand. If he was in the way, he didn't care and the paramedics seemed to understand. He was not going to leave her so, when they got to the ambulance, he got in too.

People all over were asking him questions. "How long was she under?" "When did you start chest compressions?" "How much liquid did she clear out of her lungs?" "Has she spoken yet?" "Does she have any allergies?" Dean didn't answer. He just sat down with Zara's small, delicate hand in his two large, scarred ones. He gave her fingers a little kiss and looked hopefully at her face. Her eyes were still wandering around listlessly. "Come on Zara. You promised to teach me how to dance. I don't care if its Jazz or ballet or whatever you want. I'll do it. Just," Dean's voice broke. "Please, Princess, you have to come back to me." Dean kissed her hand again. His voice filled with emotion and a tear fell down his face as he whispered, "I need you, Zara… please."

As soon as Dean started talking, Zara's golden eyes focused on his green ones. Suddenly, the spark went back into her eyes and she smiled a little as she recognized him. She managed to croak out one work through the breathing mask the paramedics put on her before they stopped at the hospital. It was one word but it communicated so much more: hope, comfort, relief… love. It made him smile and cry at the same time because he knew what it meant. "I'm scared but I know I'll be okay because you're here with me." It was one word, but it was all he needed to hear to know that she was going to be okay no matter what. "Dean."

A/N As always, I hope you liked it! Thanks to Ladysunshine6 for requesting it! To those of you who have not read Light and are interested, s/10607068/1/Light


	3. Doctor Who?

**"Doctor… Who?"**

Requested by: TheLastNephalem

A/N There's no specific time or place for this one. Just a fun crossover with one of my (and Zara's) other obsessions- Doctor Who!

"What- where are we?" Dean turned around in circles. Mere seconds ago, Dean, Sam, and Zara had been hunting a witch on a farm in the Iowan countryside. Now, they were standing on a busy street in the middle of… well they didn't know where.

"I told you I thought she was more powerful than you gave her credit." Sam grumbled. "Now look what's happened."

"Yes, thank you Sam. I see that. Would you shut up with the 'I told you so' crap now?"

"Boys!" Zara snapped at them. "Stop fighting. We've got bigger problems."

"What? Why?" Dean asked.

Zara pointed at the cars driving on the left side of the road and what looked like Big Ben in the distance. "We're in London." Both Dean and Sam cursed under their breaths. Something else caught Zara's eye… something big and blue. "Shit." She mumbled before speed walking towards a big, blue police box. The boys followed behind her warily. "No no no no no no no…." Zara walked around it several times.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked. "Why are you obsessing over a telephone booth? I'm pretty, as you said, we have bigger problems."

Zara stopped right in front of them with a wild expression on her face. "No. This is a PHONE BOX. There is only one in London right now and it isn't here. You don't get it. This is not good…"

"Riiight…" Dean looked at her strangely. "We don't get it. Why is a phone box the worst thing that could happen to us?"

Before Zara could answer him, someone opened the box's door and poked his head out. He had a mop of wild brown hair and was sporting suspenders and a red bowtie. "Now who are you and why are you gossiping at my doorstep?"

"Doctor!" Zara exclaimed. "We need your help."

"Yes, yes. It certainly looks like you do." He grinned broadly. "Come in! Come in!" He opened the door wider and motioned for them to come in.

Zara eagerly took a step towards the door before Dean caught her arm. "What are you doing? That thing is tiny and you don't even know this guy!"

Zara sighed. "Yes I do. Come on. It'll be fine." She pulled out of his grip and disappeared inside.

Dean looked over at Sam uncertainly. "How many of us can fit in there?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess we'll see."

They both took a breath and stepped inside. They were dumbfounded to find a massive, circular room with some sort of console in the middle. The man in suspenders was flitting around pressing buttons and flipping levers while talking a mile a minute to Zara who was staring in awe at her surroundings. Both brothers immediately went outside again and began circling the box- trying to figure out why such a large room could fit into such a small shell.

Zara couldn't get over how weird it was to be in one of her favorite TV shows… with her Sam and Dean… who were characters from another one of her favorite shows… She tried to focus on the present instead. "Where are the Ponds?"

The Doctor was messing around with the console. "Oh doing honeymooney things or whatnot. I don't know. I dropped them off on a planet filled with apple trees. Lovely place. It smells delicious there!" He walked around and she followed close behind. "Just popped back here to check on some odd readings and-" He whirled around and stood face to face with her. "_How do you know about the Ponds?_" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Your friends over there-" He motioned at Sam and Dean who were exploring the inside of the TARDIS now. "They can't get past the whole 'it's bigger on the inside' thing. But you… you don't even question it. I don't know you but you know me… that happens sometimes. I don't question it. But then you ask about the Ponds. How do you know about them?"

"I…" Zara trailed off. "It's too confusing to explain."

The Doctor held up his hands towards her head. "Mind if I…"

She stepped back. "I have memories of your future Doctor. You know how dangerous that could be."

She smiled kindly at her. "Don't worry. I won't look." He raised his eyebrows at her and she nodded. As soon as his fingers touched her head, images of everything that had happened recently flashed before her eyes- the circumstances surrounding her arrival in the Supernatural world, the hunts, the witch, and coming here.

"Hey!" Dean came up beside the two of them and glared at the Doctor. "What are you doing to her?" He asked- suppressing the urge to punch him since he had seen Zara agree to do… whatever it was they were doing.

"Oh my…" The Doctor murmured as he took his hands off of her forehead and she opened her eyes. He stared at her with a newfound respect- seeing all that she had been through. She was not unlike him in many ways. "That doesn't explain how you know me though."

"Supernatural was a show… Doctor Who was a show." Zara shrugged- unable to give any more explanation than that.

"Doctor Who… hmm. Yes. I quite like that title."

"Wait, so the same thing that happened to you… happened to all of us?" Sam asked.

"It seems so." The Doctor began pacing. "Where you were- this other dimension- a witch did this to you?"

"Yeah. You don't have witches here?" Dean asked.

"No. All the 'witches' I've met are just aliens."

Dean looked over at Zara- wide eyed. "Aliens are a thing?"

Zara smirked. She pointed at the Doctor. "He's an alien."

"This is so trippy. Other dimension. Blue boxes that are bigger on the inside. Aliens are a thing…"

The Doctor stopped pacing. "Everything's a thing. There's even a place where nothings a thing- which is quite lethal. I'd recommend not going there. But other dimensions are… less lethal- like yours. Though I think I'd much prefer this one. Aliens are easier to deal with. You can's reason with ghosts and demons."

"You think you could help us though?" Zara asked hopefully. "It's kind of important that we get back there."

"Yes… quite." The Doctor gave her a peculiar look. "You sure you want to go back? You could stay here."

Zara gave him a small smile. "There was a time when I would have given anything to travel with you to galaxies unknown, but I found my family with these boys." She motioned to the Winchesters who both smiled and Dean put an arm on her shoulder. "You've got your world to save and we have ours."

The Doctor nodded and whipped out his sonic screwdriver. He started waving it around Dean's head and Dean swatted it away. "What are you doing?"

The Doctor ignored him and did the same thing to Sam. "It seems that whatever… spell this witch has put on you is only temporary." Dean and Sam gave a sigh of relief. "It should wear off in about twenty four hours."

"What are we going to do until then?" Dean asked.

The Doctor grinned and gave Zara her a little wink. "Fancy taking a little trip? Each one of us- six hours in any place, any time. One rule- it has to be amazing."

"You first, Sam." Zara motioned towards him. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere?" He asked quizzically.

"And any _time_." Zara emphasized. "This is a time machine as well as a space ship."

"Well I've always wanted to see the library of Alexandria…" Sam trailed off.

The Doctor grinned widely. "I'll give you even better!" He started rushing around and pressing buttons all over the place. "You want books? I'll give you books! A whole planet of books! Bit of a ghost town after it got taken over by the Vashta Nerada- nasty air piranhas, they'll eat your face clean off- but we can go before then." The familiar grinding of the TADRIS' engine started up and the blue box disappeared from the busy London streets.

* * *

><p>Zara and Dean sat on the floor of the TARDIS with their feet dangling out the door and over the edge- as if they were just about to fall off into space. Zara's head rested on Dean's shoulder. The Doctor had taken them to the Medusa Cascade for the last quarter of their trip as his choice and it turned out to be all of their favorites. Dean had chosen to relive the one Metallica concert his dad had taken him to and Zara chose to see the birth of the universe. And now they were here and it was absolutely breathtaking. Colors and constellations wove in and out- painting an ethereal picture that almost looked like the clouds at sunset and yet, this was on a much bigger scale. It was made up of billions of stars and planets that each had their own sunsets and clouds and skies.<p>

Sam and the Doctor had retreated back into the recesses of the TARDIS a few minutes ago. They only had a little while before they all went back home but Dean and Zara couldn't tear themselves away from this magnificent sight.

"This- this is amazing." Dean murmured. Zara hummed in response. "The Doctor offered to let you stay with him. You could see things like this every day. You knew what he was offering and you still said no."

Zara took her head off of Dean's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Of course I did."

"You seriously chose us and all our crappy, ugly, disgusting life over this?" Dean asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

Dean was at a loss. "Why?"

"Because you're my family, Dean- you and Sam" Zara answered. "No matter what life throws at us, we will always stick together. Sure, this galaxy- this life- is beautiful. But nothing is more important to me than my family. I wouldn't abandon you for all of time and space."

Dean sobered at that. "Wow." He paused for a second before getting a snarky glint in his eye. "I never thought you were so dumb. I'd dump yours and Sam's sorry asses in a heartbeat if it meant I could fight aliens in a time machine."

Zara grinned and hit his arm playfully. "I was being serious!" She exclaimed exasperatedly.

Dean swatted her back. "I know. I'm kidding. I wouldn't leave you guys either."

"I sure hope not!"

The Doctor came up behind them. "I'm sorry to interrupt but…"

"Is it time to go Doctor?" Zara asked- looking up at him. He nodded sadly in response and they all got up. The TARDIS doors closed behind them as they walked towards the console and joined Sam.

The Doctor put his hands on Zara shoulders and bent down to look at her. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? I believe I can make the witch's spell permanent if you wanted."

"No." Zara smiled at him. "Thank you, but I have to be with my family."

The Doctor nodded solemnly. "Alright then." The three of them started to fade away. "I hope to see you again." Zara waved to him as they disappeared completely. He flipped a few levers and the TARDIS set a course- but not to the Ponds. It had been many years since the Angels took the Ponds. River had gone to the Library soon after that. And since then, he had been alone. Truthfully, he didn't know how long it had been. But for those brief twenty four hours, he could pretend. The Doctor sighed and whispered to an empty TARDIS. "You would have made a great companion… Akele."


	4. Nightmare

**"Nightmare."**  
>Requested by: Ladysunshine6<p>

A/N This is the continuation of "They're not flashbacks anymore."

Dean bolted upright when he heard the scream. It was Zara. He always knew when it was her and if the last few nights had been any indication, she was having another nightmare. It had only been a few days since she had summoned Crowley. Which set off a chain of events… Crowley summoned Sean to torture her. Dean tried to save her by shooting Sean but hit her in the heart instead. She had to have emergency surgery and almost died in the process. She would have died afterwards if Balthazar hadn't come and healed her. Now, she was having nightmares every night and was barely keeping it together by day. One hour with Sean had undone all the progress that she had made in the past few months that she had been with the Winchesters. It broke Dean's heart to see her that way and he could only do so much to help her.  
>Despite Zara forgiving Dean for shooting her, he couldn't miss the look of fear in her eyes when she saw him. He was so used to being the one to soothe her fears. She always felt safer with him and let her guard down when he was around. But now, she couldn't even do that. No matter what she said about forgiving him- that it was an accident, she couldn't help that her initial reaction to him was now fear instead of trust. Zara knew how much it hurt him but she couldn't help it. She may be able to ignore the fear as soon as she reminded herself she was among friends, but the fear still lingered in the back of her mind. It wouldn't go away.<br>Dean got out of his bed and padded out of his room. He could hear her muffled crying coming from behind the door across the hall from his. He wanted so much just to go in and hold her like he always did. He wanted to drive her nightmares away and make her feel safe again, but he couldn't. Dean turned and walked down the hall to the room next to his- Sam's. Sam was the only one she was able to relax around anymore. He was at least able to help her back into a fitful sleep when the nightmares came. Dean hated that he couldn't help her, but seeing him after her nightmares recently only made it worse.  
>Dean rapped lightly on his brother's door. "Sam?" He could hear muffled groaning from inside the room. Sam had probably just gotten to sleep. None of them had really been able to sleep well in the past few days. "Sam?" Dean asked a little louder and this time he could hear rustling. "I-it's her. She's having another nightmare." Sam opened the door and gave him a tired look. Dean's voice broke. "She needs you, Sam."<br>Sam looked at his big brother. He knew how much all this was hurting him. He could see the brokenness in Dean's eyes. Sam gave him a kind look. "No. She needs you, Dean. I can only do so much for her. She needs to get over this and the only one who can actually help her do that is you."  
>"But-"<br>"Dean," Sam sighed. "You know I'm right. She may be afraid, but deep down she knows she can trust you. You just have to show her again." He started to close the door again. "Just go to her."  
>"Sam… Please…" Dean tried again, but the door was closed. He knew Sam was right. He did, but the look in her eyes broke him. Dean walked back up the hall towards her door and put his hand on the handle. He took a deep breath, turned the knob, and entered the room. Zara was curled up in her bed- crying. She looked so sad… so afraid of everything. That gave him the courage to go to her. He knew he could help her. It was what he was good at. Dean went and sat on the bed beside her and put a hand on her shoulder- like he always did.<br>She flinched away from him. Dean thought he should have been used to that reaction by now but he wasn't. She always reverted back to the scared, abused girl he met that first day in the few minutes after her nightmares. That motion wasn't new. Every time she did it though, his heart clenched. He felt angry that someone had hurt her so badly that she instinctively interpreted all touch as hostile.  
>"Hey, Zara. It's me." Dean reassured her. Before, she had always calmed down as soon as she heard him. She always felt safer with him. But this time, instead of turning to him like she always did, she curled up tighter into a ball and started crying harder.<br>His brow furrowed. "Zara?"  
>He could hear her whispering something- almost like a mantra. Dean drew closer to hear. "It's just a dream. It's not him. It's just a dream. It's not him…"<br>"Sean's not here. He can't hurt you. It's me- Dean. Come on Zara. You know you can trust me. I'm here to help you." He tried to soothe her by rubbing circles into her back.  
>"It's not Dean. It's just a dream. It's not Dean."<br>Dean's heart dropped. She wasn't dreaming about Sean. She wasn't having nightmares about Sean. They were about him. He guessed that explained why it was so hard for her around him when she was awake and why Sam was the only one that could get her to calm down. Who would be able to be calm in the presence of the monster in their nightmares?  
>Maybe he needed Sam to come in after all. Dean withdrew his hand from her back and started to get up. He was surprised when her arm shot out and her hand latched onto his- stopping him. She finally turned her tear stained face to his. "Don't go." She pleaded in a childlike voice. "If you go, the monster will come." She tugged on his arm and nodded to the space beside her.<br>Dean lay down on the bed and pulled her into a comforting embrace. She immediately curled into his chest and buried her face into his shoulder. "I thought I was the monster."  
>"No. He just looks like you."<br>"I thought you dreamt of-" Dean paused. "… of Sean."  
>"It was Sean… but then he turned into you." She started crying again. "You always drive away my monsters. What am I supposed to do when you are one of them?"<br>Dean's heart ached for her. He knew that both of them just wanted to go back to how it was. "I don't know, Princess." He held her closer to him. "But I'll be here for you. I will protect you. I'll show you that you don't need to be afraid of me until the nightmare Dean doesn't frighten you anymore. Because you know he's not real. I would never do anything like that to you on purpose. I promise. We can get through this." She seemed to calm as he spoke. That alone gave Dean hope. Things would get better. He knew that they would. She had calmed down enough to go back to sleep again but Dean didn't want to go. He wanted to keep her here and protect her even in sleep. "Do you want me to leave?" He asked quietly.  
>Zara shook her head and nestled closer into his side. "Stay. Please. Stay with me." She mumbled sleepily.<br>He kissed the top of her head. "Always." He whispered.


	5. The butcher, the baker, or the

**"The Butcher, the Baker, or the Candlestick Maker?"**

Requested by: mhank

A/N Sorry this took longer than I anticipated but it's a wayyy longer than I thought it was gonna be so I hope that makes up for it. Here is a locked room mystery inspired by this week's Supernatural episode promo including special guests- Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. :) I hope they're not too out of character. It's been a long time since I've watched Sherlock. Also, I know the mystery is ridiculously cheesy. Shhh. Just go along with it.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe these people are still going through with this silly game. Last time, someone died!" Sam exclaimed as they walked up the porch steps of a large Victorian house. The sign on the front of the door read: "Mrs. Plum's Locked Room Mysteries- Open every weekend. 'Was it the butcher, the baker, or the candlestick maker?'"<p>

"I can't believe that you guys convinced me to go to a place like this." Dean grumbled under his breath.

"Suck it up, Dean. It's only for a weekend and this might even be our kind of thing." Zara rolled her eyes as she pushed past him and entered the house. They came into a tastefully decorated foyer. A middle aged woman stood behind a desk- looking at a date book through glasses perched on the end of her nose. She looked up at them when she heard Dean close the door forcefully.

"Ah, hello!" She smiled at them. "Welcome to Mrs. Plum's. I'm Margaret. Do you have a reservation?"

"No." Sam sauntered up to the desk to get their rooms. "Do you have any availabilities?"

"We still have two rooms that haven't been reserved. Will that be okay?" She looked between the three of them.

Dean shot a questioning glance at Zara. It wasn't like they hadn't shared beds before. She shrugged. "Yeah that'll be fine." Dean answered.

"Great." She smiled again while handing Sam the room keys and gesturing as she spoke. "Here are your keys. Your rooms are upstairs and dinner is in the dining room behind me at 5."

"Right." Dean said sarcastically as they went up the stairs towards their rooms. "This is going to be so much fun."

* * *

><p>"This is not how I intended on spending my holiday in the colonies, Sherlock." John grumbled as they drove up the long drive of "Mrs. Plum's" Estate. "You'll figure out the fake crime within five minutes. It was bad enough trying to get a reservation here. The lady just laughed and almost hung up when I reserved two rooms for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. That bloody author and his stupid stories have made a mockery of our own names now! I rue the day that I first heard the name Carver Edlund."<p>

"Shut up, I'm thinking." Sherlock gazed out the window at the apple trees.

"This is so stupid." Dean huffed as he tossed his duffel on the pillow-filled bed.

* * *

><p>Zara rolled her eyes for the fortieth time. "Dean, a person was killed and drained here last week. There's a monster here. I know that asking you to relax and enjoy it may be too much, but focus on the job and at least try to have a good attitude about this." Zara smirked. "I know the real reason you're being all grumpy. You're just hiding the fact that you're super excited about this."<p>

"Shut up." He grumbled.

* * *

><p>"Hello, and welcome to Mrs. Plum's Estate." Margaret launched into her spiel as everyone sat at the dinner table later that evening. Dean was grumbling under his breath about having to wait longer for dinner but Zara kicked him. "All of you are honored guests here. You are allowed to go wherever on the grounds, but I must ask you to stay out of the orchard behind the greenhouse. There was a real life crime committed there earlier this week and we want people to stay away from the area. On the other hand, you have come here to participate in a crime scene of a more fictional nature. After you leave this room, you and your fellow sleuths will be set on a journey of clues and mystery. I will read the scenario aloud to you, and then after dinner, you will be taken around to the various scenes to look for clues. Also, whoever figures out the murderer first, gets a homemade apple pie! So why don't we begin?"<p>

Margaret got out a series of white cards and began reading aloud to the patrons. "Earlier today, in this very house a most heinous crime has been committed. Young Miss Plum was murdered in the drawing room with a butcher's knife. The current suspects are three laymen who were on the grounds at the time preparing for tonight's guests. Although they were here somewhere, none of the suspects has a concrete alibi for around the time the murder was committed. One insists that he was working alone somewhere. Another insists that he was framed. And the last says that he was on the other side of the estate at the time. It is up to you to find out who the killer is: The butcher, the baker, or the candlestick maker?"

"Neither. It was the butler. He's missing a cufflink." Sherlock proclaimed as he strode into the room with John following behind. They were late as usual. A burst of coughing could be heard from the rear of the room.

"Ah, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Watson- it's good of you to join us. We were just about the have dinner." Margaret shot an annoyed look at them for being late before disappearing into the kitchen to tell the servers they were ready. John and Sherlock sat in the empty chairs across from Sam, Dean, and Zara (who had been the one suffering from the earlier coughing fit).

"Are you okay?" Dean had a hand on her back to steady her as she recovered from her surprise and subsequent coughing fit.

"Yeah. I'm good." She waved him off. She shot another glance at the two sitting across from them and muttered under her breath. "It's just… THE Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson. Could this get any weirder?" She didn't want to tell the boys that ANOTHER one of her favorite TV shows was real. This was just too much.

Dean nudged her again and leaned over to whisper. "Hah. Look at those guys. Are they LARPing? Seriously, who's first name is actually Sherlock?" Zara just shook her head.

"I'm Sam and this is Dean and Zara." Sam had started a friendly conversation with John as the food was being brought out. "So I'm guessing you didn't come all the way to America just to go to a random locked room mysteries game. What brings you here? Friends? Family?"

"Well it was supposed to just be a little holiday but _somebody_ can't seem to relax long enough for that to happen." John looked over at Sherlock pointedly.

"I don't like to waste brain cells like the rest of humanity." Sherlock commented blandly before glancing over at Dean. His eyes quickly took in every inch of the group- making Dean shift in his seat uncomfortably. He didn't like it when people looked at them too closely. It always made clean getaways harder. "What war did you fight in?"

Dean's eyes widened. "I-I… What?"

"The calluses on your hands suggest that you are used to handling guns and knives- as are your brother and girlfriend's. And your bodies all seem quite accustomed to combat. Family business? "

"Shut up." John mumbled. "Not at dinner. Please. They look like they could snap us in half."

"I would say some other occupation but the look in your eyes tells the truth. You've seen battle even more than John. I know soldiers when I see them." Sherlock looked so sure of himself and Zara had to restrain herself from saying something like "Stop showing off."

Sam jumped in over Dean's confused silence. "Well we have seen some crap in our time."

"So who do you think the killer is?" Zara interrupted. She didn't think it would be the best thing to let Sherlock deduce their life stories over dinner even if he was a little off.

"The butcher." Dean said.

"The butler." Sherlock said at the same time.

* * *

><p>They had just left last clue filled scene set up for them to view that night and were now allowed to roam around and do what they wished. Dean and Sherlock had been going at it ever since dinner. Zara could tell that Dean desperately wanted to prove that he was better than Sherlock at this game, but no one can out sleuth the world's only consulting detective. Their bickering had annoyed Sam and John so much that they went on ahead of them.<p>

"Did you see the blood stain on his sock? It's gotta be him." Dean exclaimed.

"He could have just as easily gotten that from his job as a butcher." Sherlock countered. "These games are filled with details to lead you off course and confuse you."

"Oh and your suspect is so much better? The butler was only in one scene and he didn't even speak."

"You don't need anyone to speak to know things about them." Sherlock whirled around to look Dean in the eye. "Just like I knew as soon as I saw you that you were an arrogant, self assured arse."

"Oh and you are so much better?" Dean growled. Zara put her hand on his arm to distract him.

"Let's just go to bed, Dean." She sighed. What had promised to be a fun night had turned into bickering and smart comments and they still had the real case to worry about.

He nodded but couldn't help but mutter under his breath as they walked away. "Edlund's version of _Sherlock_ was garbage anyway."

Sherlock froze as he heard Dean's comment and he stayed where he was long after they had left- thinking. Something had been bugging him the whole night and he now realized what it was. The brother's names were Sam and Dean. _Sherlock_ was not the only series that that horrid writer had published. And if Sherlock and John were actually real, what were the odds that the _Supernatural_ characters were as well?

* * *

><p>Dean flopped onto their bed as soon as they got into the room that night. "I don't like him."<p>

"Drop it Dean." Zara groaned. She grabbed her duffel and headed for the bathroom so that she could change into something more hunter appropriate. She was just ready to finish this hunt and be done with it. While _Sherlock_ may have been one of her favorite shows, she couldn't stand him in person… at least not with Dean around.

"Who does he think he is anyways? It's not like he's actually the Sherlock Holmes from the book."

Zara couldn't take it anymore. Maybe if Dean knew who he really was, this would be easier. "HE _IS_ SHERLOCK HOLMES." She said- louder than was probably necessary.

"What?" Dean looked puzzled.

Zara threw up her hands. "TV shows, Dean. My life is filled with TV shows." That was all she said before she closed the door and left Dean to his thoughts.

By the time she got out, Dean dozing on the bed with his hands propped behind his head. Sam was supposed to be asking around and they would all leave when it was dark enough to carry around weapons without getting caught. Zara threw her boots to the side and picked up a book from the bedside table. She snuggled under the covers to sit next to Dean's head.

"Who do you think did it?" Dean asked. Opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"The housekeeper." She said absentmindedly- paging through what turned out to be an Agatha Christie.

"Margaret? But she had an alibi."

Zara snorted. Of course Dean would still be thinking about the game. "I'm pretty sure she didn't have one for the real murder. You know, the one that we're actually here for?"

"Oh." Dean stayed silent for a bit- just watching Zara read. He liked to just look at her when she didn't know it- when she didn't hide any of her emotions. She caught him staring though, and raised her eyebrows questioningly at him. "So another TV show, huh?" He covered quickly. "Did you ever have time for real life?"

Zara gave him a little smack on the arm. "Of course I did. And it was a good show."

"Better than _Supernatural_?" Dean asked.

"It's part of the trifecta, Dean." Zara laughed. "Superwholock is king and all parts are good in their own right. Benedict Cumberbatch was an interesting actor though."

"Buttermilk Cabbage patch? That's an actor?"

Zara sighed. The legacy of his name continued into other dimensions as well it seemed. "Yeah. He played Sherlock."

Dean grinned. "What was his name again?"

* * *

><p>"What did you find in the orchard?" John asked Sherlock when they met up again later that night.<p>

Sherlock ignored him. "The Winchesters are here."

"The…" John squinted at him. "Are you having a laugh?"

"Nope." Sherlock popped the 'P' as he sank down into a chair.

"No, no, no, no…" John shifted as he tried to process what Sherlock just said. "But they fight monsters- _fictional_ monsters. They're characters from books."

"And so are we. Is it really that hard to imagine?"

"But it's so preposterous."

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth_." _

John scoffed. "I don't believe you… but if I did, you know that that means that this killer has every possibility of being-"

"-A supernatural creature." Sherlock interrupted impatiently. "Yes. I'm thinking vampire. Care for some tea?"

* * *

><p>Dean's angel blade gleamed in the moonlight as they trekked through the apple orchard later that night. All of the other patrons had long since retired to their rooms in the large Victorian house but the Winchesters were just beginning their night. 1am was their prime time for work.<p>

"You sure the greenhouse was this way?" Dean asked Sam for the third time. "I told you we should have taken flashlights."

"It's right over there." Zara pointed to their right. "We shouldn't be too much farther right?"

"Nah, it's right over here." Sam answered. "There seriously isn't anything interesting to see around there. Maybe we should split up and look around the area. We'll cover more ground that way."

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea." Dean answered as he pointed back towards the house. "You and Zara head over to the greenhouse and the gardens and look for anything that could tell us what we're dealing with. It's likely the monster lives on the estate. I'll sniff around back here a bit and then join you."

Zara and Sam nodded and headed to their respective areas and Dean continued his own way. He hadn't been walking long when he noticed a light bobbing back and forth off to his left. As he came closer he realized there were two people walking in the woods with a flashlight.

"This would have been so much easier if you had actually gone out when there was still light." John grumbled.

"Well it's too late for that now, isn't it? A torch will just have to do."

"We're going in the wrong direction." They went on like this for a few paces before Dean saw them stop suddenly. "Oh my god." John whispered. "The poor girl."

Dean peeked from behind the brush he was hiding in to see the two other men shining the light on another victim hanging upside down from a tree limb. It was obvious that Margaret had already been drained of her blood. "So it wasn't the housekeeper." Dean mused out loud. There was no use in hiding so he came out and strode over to them.

"And what are you doing out so late?" John asked. "How do we know you weren't the one that did this to her?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Mr. Watson."

Before he could reply, the three men heard a twig snap somewhere beyond where the body was hung. Sherlock pointed the flashlight towards the noise but there was nothing there.

"Over here dumbos." Someone called. Dean and Sherlock whirled around to see that a man was holding John by the throat. His long pointed teeth were already bared and dangerously close to his jugular. He was instantly recognizable as the butler they had seen acting out his part in the game earlier that evening. Dean's angel blade was out in an instant and he was slowly inching towards the monster.

"It _was_ the butler!" Sherlock crowed- distracting the vamp for the second Dean needed to slip out of sight.

"Not. Helping." John wheezed as the vampire tightened his grip on his throat.

"Do you know how many times I've heard that line?" The butler said sarcastically. "No more." He lowered his head towards John's neck again. His teeth just barely pierced his neck before Dean's blade sliced down and cut off his head. It fell neatly to the ground followed by his body.

* * *

><p>The rest of the game had been canceled as soon as the management learned of the deaths of two more of their employees. Everyone was going home. "So I was wrong about you being soldiers." Sherlock mused as he and Dean stood in front of the Impala.<p>

Dean shrugged. "We all fight our own battles. We have our own war. So in a way, we still are soldiers." Dean scratched the back of his head absentmindedly. "You know, Chuck's a prophet. He had a reason for writing about you. Have you ever thought about becoming hunters?"

Sherlock smirked. "I prefer the monsters of a more… human nature. Like you said, we each have our own war."

Dean nodded once and started to leave but thought better of it. He slowly reached his hand out to Sherlock. "It was a pleasure working with you Sherlock Holmes."

Sherlock looked surprised for half a second before returning a firm handshake. "Likewise, Dean Winchester." Dean let go and turned towards the car to join the others. "Oh, and Dean?" He turned around once more to see that Sherlock was holding up some familiar white cards and smiling faintly. "These fell out of Margaret's pocket's. You were right. It was the butcher."


	6. Your Happy End

**"Your Happy End"**

Requested by: Ladysunshine6

A/N This is a continuation of a previous oneshot "No Air" though you could probably read it as a stand alone too. It would still make sense for the most part. The song at the end is "So Close" from Enchanted. This is some much needed fluff considering the content of the current chapters in the main fic. Sorry. Maybe this will make up for it? It's pretty darn fluffy. J Also, "Brown and sticky" -my mom's one and only go to joke.

* * *

><p>"And so the doctor says, 'Asthma? But I thought you said you would run away with me!'" Dean smirked at his own joke and looked over at Zara expectantly. She was holding in a smile.<p>

"That wasn't even funny." She managed with a straight face.

Dean nudged her shoulder with his own. "Of course it was! That was a classic right there. You just don't have good taste in jokes."

"'Brown and sticky' was funny!" Zara defended herself.

He gave her a sarcastic look. "It's a stick, Zara. Nothing's funny about a stick."

"You just don't have good taste in jokes." Zara imitated Dean.

He just rolled his eyes. He tried to act annoyed but it felt good to just be here like this- sitting on Zara's bed in her room and laughing at stupid jokes. Here they could forget about the events of yesterday. It seemed so far removed- so separate and safe from the outside world. It was surreal to think that Zara was near death just a little over 24 hours ago. She had almost drowned while they were fighting a nasty vengeful spirit. If it hadn't been for Dean and later the paramedics, Zara probably wouldn't have been alive.

Since then, Dean had hardly left her side. He was there in the ambulance with her. He was with her in the emergency room and in recovery. He had taken it upon himself to carry her wherever she needed to go since they had gotten home- more to reassure himself that she was still there than her really needing it. Now they were sitting side by side in their pajamas on Zara's bed taking advantage of the rest that the doctor ordered. They had finished marathoning Parks and Rec and were now trying to one up each other in their own jokes. Popcorn bowls, soda bottles, and candy wrappers were littered all around them.

Dean realized that he had been zoning out and staring at Zara for a noticeably long time when she waved her hand in front of his face. "Earth to Dean…"

"Hmm? Right." He coughed. "How are you feeling?"

Zara rolled her eyes. "I'm feeling fine for the zillionth time. My chest's a little sore thanks to you though."

"Well I guess I just don't know my own strength when saving lives… Oh no maybe I hurt your heart. Lemme check." Dean joked as he put his hand above her heart to feel it beating. He put on his fake doctor voice. "Seems to be in working order. What about her head?" He knocked her forehead lightly. "Good. A little lacking in the humor medulla but there's therapy for that." He continued when he saw that he was winning another smile out of her. So he went down towards her feet. "And what about these?"

"No." Her smile faded when she realized what he was about to do. "Nononononononono-Ack!" That was all she was able to get out before he started tickling her feet- reducing her to wheezing giggles. She kicked out of his grip and quickly tucked her feet up under herself. "Not fair!"

"It seems like her feet are working too. Maybe that means her legs are working and she doesn't need her pack mule anymore." Dean winked at her.

"Let's test that why don't we?" Zara challenged. "I owe you a dance lesson."

Dean smiled a little. "That you do." He pushed away the thought that the last time he had brought up dancing was while holding her limp hand and praying that she would live through the day. He couldn't think like that. She was standing right in front of him. She was okay.

Zara grabbed the laptop from off of the nightstand and started some soft music playing. "I'll start you off easy- slow dance. You should know how to do this."

Dean got up off of the bed and gave her a little bow as he held out his hand to her. "My lady."

Zara snorted. It wasn't like they were at a fancy ball or something. She was in a messy bun, shorts, and a tank top and he was still sporting this morning's bed head, an ACDC T-shirt, and sweatpants, but it felt comfortable so nothing else really mattered. She took his hand and got up to stand next to him. Zara tried to hide it as much as possible, but she was still weak and standing so quickly make her a little dizzy. Dean noticed when she tightened her grip on his hand for support but he didn't comment on it. He knew her determined look when he saw it.

They automatically got into the normal position as if they had been doing it all their lives- his arm around her waist, her hand on his shoulder, and the other two clasped out to the side. The music was nice and slow so it was easy to keep up while Zara taught him the basic steps. Dean kept up pretty easily for the most part and soon they were just mindlessly stepping to the rhythm.

Zara was getting dizzy again though and so she let go of Dean's hands and circled them around his waist for support. He did the same and eventually their dancing degraded to just hugging and swaying to the quiet music. Neither of them wanted to stop. A song that Zara recognized began playing and she started singing along under her breath.

Curious, Dean looked over to the laptop to see what song it was. "Really? A Disney song?"

"Shh." Zara mumbled. "I like this song. It was one of my favorites in college."

"Why?"

"I always wanted someone to feel this way about me."

"Oh." Dean started listening to the words.

_You're in my arms, and all the world is calm_

_The music playing on for only two,_

_So close, together._

_And when I'm with you_

_So close, to feeling alive..._

_So close to reaching _

_That famous happy end._

_Almost believing_

_This one's not pretend._

_And now you're beside me,_

_And look how far we've come._

_So far we are… so close…_

By the song's end, Dean was practically holding Zara up- she was so sleepy. So he picked her up, laid her back in the bed, and tucked her in. He smoothed a strand of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead- making her smile in her sleep. He took one last look at her as he went to the door. "I don't know about you, Princess, but my 'happy end' is you in my arms. I hope I'm yours too."


End file.
